


Fly away now

by MagicalGhost96



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Daemon Separation, Daemon Touching, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No beta we kayak like Tim, Non Consensual Daemon Touching, Still Happy ending, daemon AU, i will make the content i wish upon this world, i will make them soft, implied cheating albeit they broke up, implied soulmates, well as much as they can brake up in this realtionship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:20:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29626923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalGhost96/pseuds/MagicalGhost96
Summary: The range between Peter and Enola is big, the daemon when Peter is at land stays in his office with Kass. He asks once about how come they are so…. close and if the distance is because of forsaken. The man and daemon laugh conspiratorially.“Why would I cut her off? we are the same person after all, its still just me after all so we can still be technically alone”“Yes! Its very stupid to cut us apart. The family wouldn't just do that, it would be pointless” She tuts at him and snorts, before going back to preen at Kass. Elias gets a shiver.“As for the distance… well that is sort of a family thing, so im afraid im not going to tell you” He smirks at him and plays his hand.
Relationships: Elias Bouchard/Peter Lukas
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Fly away now

James met Peter for a brief amount of time before switching to Elias, by then he along with his daemon had switched bodies and shapes. As James daemon, Eris had taken the shape of his antelope, but now as Elias she had become a swan.

He was very aware that she hated it, had in fact hated the shapes she got stuffed in for years, missing her original one of a fox, it was unfortunate that his most likely candidates never had a similar daemon to Jonah’s so he could never get her to shift when he transfer his eyes into the new host.

It was one of the main reasons as to why she was reluctant to speak with him, that and she seemed quite upset about his intentions with a ritual for the eye. He could never understand that, since as a part of him she should be on board with it, instead she found it distasteful when he mentioned it.

One of the last times they spoke, before she forgone saying a word to him anymore, was about why did he even want to complete a ritual when he had effectively found a way to live forever, that she wouldn't mind so much the changes if he wasn't constantly waiting for more. There was something else there that she did not say, he could feel that she was reluctant about saying it so he tried to get her to spill. However it offended her and afterwards she started to ignore him.

It stung to have his own soul would reject him, but he wouldn't let her get in the way of his plans.

Going back, James now Elias had seen Peter very few times, hasn't even seen his daemon yet, most likely hidden in forsaken. The Lukases have a very odd way to raise children and he wouldn't be surprised that the man got severed if his nonchalant way of being was any way to tell. However…. he did have a spark there that did not fit with someone who got severed with their daemon.

So their meetings were few and far between, until slowly they started to meet up more often. Soon he asked him out for dinner and from there it became easier to be around him.

Oh he drove him up to a wall sometimes, too stubborn and childish, but he also amused him far too much, enough so that they kept meeting. It was mutually beneficial he supposes, he got his entertainment and an ally while Peter got whatever lonely explanation he could conjure up for their meetings.

Eris, now Kassandra seemed to view him with mild interest, but it soon turned into indifference most of the time. It probably reflected his own view of the man in many ways.

However… he did start to get mildly… affected by him, found himself missing him, which was embarrassing since the man most likely did not feel anything too strong in particular about him, beyond any petty justification he had for their relationship. 

Peter bought him stuff, he would get packages with presents of very high quality that he would of course never turn away yet some…

Some were for Kassandra, those he found a little bit odd and set something weird in his chest at viewing them. They were pillows and blankets, at first it baffled them both, she didn't seem to understand what to do with them, it wasn't until he was watching tv and some documentaries about animal life came that he realized they were meant to be used to make a nest. Eris hasn’t ever taken a bird shape before so neither realized it. At night she would choose to sleep on the couch instead, another way of protest, since she used to sleep with him when she had been in her original form. After the revelation she went and tried to put the pillows and blankets in a somewhat more comfortable shape in the living room, however it never seemed fully right and despite his own attempts to help it never took, still she let them there and would squawk at him if he tried to put anything away.

It bothered her to be so ineffectual. Since the change she has only attempted to fly once, before crashing and making both of them feel the pain and shame of it. The shape doesn't fit her, but she works with it, there isn't that much of a choice.

Peter eventually asks them to come to have dinner at his place.

The apartment is…. what he expected, it looked unlived, considering the man was away at sea most of the time it made sense in a way, but it went a little bit beyond that, there was loneliness clinging to it practically from the walls.

This is when they met Enola.

The albatross was laying in her own perfectly made nest in the corner looking at them curiously. She fitted Peter, he can already see her acting all quiet and boring like most Lukases daemons. 

She was quiet, to which Peter merely said that she was just being annoying, the comment puzzled him, but he ignored in exchange for the dinner. The man was a rather good cook, apparently it was better for him to make his own food, than having to speak with anyone to obtain it, so he taught himself how to.

Eventually it became a hobby of sorts.

Learning the small details kept him wanting more, kept him wanting to know everything he could about him, it was concerning and honestly a little bit intoxicating.

During dinner Enola remained in her nest, while Kassandra jumped on the couch and stayed there as well watching the other bird.

After dinner things escalated with them and while they were on the couch, they ended up making out, to the point that Peter just lifted him effortlessly.

_ Oh that did something to him alright. _

And took him to his room.

It was a great, great experience.

By morning he woke up alone in bed, which again not surprising and so he dressed up again to take his leave, he knew how the lonely types where, and if he was anything like Mordechai Jonah needed to get out quickly.

Of course when he emerges he doesn't expect the picture that awaits him.

Peter is cooking something in the kitchen while Enola and Kassandra are both nuzzling each other.

He pauses.

The man makes a noise and says that he made coffee, it startles him, but he looks bewildered at his soul who looks at him back and he gets a feeling of warmth that sort of blew him away.

With a very puzzled expression he goes and sits to drink the coffee and eat the food the man prepared for him.

It was delicious.

Afterwards they keep meeting, Enola comes along too now, he hasn't heard her speak yet, but he is used to silence. When they go to the park she moves and tries to pull Kass with her to fly, his soul, annoyed at the insistence snaps and actually hits her with her wings, making the other step back and Elias tries and apologize in embarrassment.

Peter however laughs.

“Feisty like you huh?” He blinks a few times and feels his cheeks burn.

Enola looks at her and after a while asks in a very low voice if she wants to swim instead.

They were closer to the pond, at that suggestion Kass nods and follows her to float in the water with her.

He and the taller man watch them while picking a runner who had apparently been recently dumped and his family sort of left him to his own devices. They have fun picking him apart.

Elias hears Enola and Kass laugh further away.

Oh he was so wrong to think that the albatross was quiet, it was quite honestly the opposite.

She loved to talk, endlessly she talked to Kassandra who remained mute but nodded appropriately and sometimes giggled at some of her comments.

If she wasn't talking with Kass, she talked to Peter who was just as animated as her and recently she started to speak with him too.

It was more… guarded if he had to take a guess, which in context made sense considering the precarious relationship he had with his other half. Still it was… actually fun to banter with her, he had missed speaking with Eris so this was as close as he got now.

Peter would look amused and slightly disconcerted at the whole thing.

They spent more time with each other whenever the captain was on land, eventually he asked him to come to his apartment to spend the night and he agreed. His cooking skills weren't… the best, but he could make due and the man did not complain so he took it as a win.

Enola when she saw the pile of blankets and pillows all thrown haphazardly, went and started to nudge them, he was concerned that Kass would hit her for it, but instead she started to help her. By the time Peter and he were eating some cake that he bought, the two bird daemons were settled on the now well done nest.

Things of course cant stay peaceful and because of their confictive natures he and Peter fight, it was something of a heat of the moment thing, but it left them both angry. The man left with his soul who looked back at his with an upset look, while Kass started to try and bite his fingers making him lock himself in his room to not deal with it.

Peter doesn't come or call for months on end and he focuses on working, Kassandra remains quiet and slowly he feels a pit of sadness that is not entirely his own.

He sighs.

It will be a few more months before he comes to his office and he sees an albatross waiting on the corner. The moment that Enola sees Kass they both move fast to meet in the middle of the room and start rubbing their beaks.

“Enola? Where is Peter?” It takes her a few seconds before she answers, he can feel the second hand happiness of Kass in his chest that is conflicting with his own feelings.

“At the apartment, i missed you” The first part is for him the second one obviously for Kassandra who makes a satisfied noise.

It stops him on his tracks.

“His?” She tuts at him

“Ours”

“What?”

“Ups, blew the surprise! oh well he bought an apartment for us closer by, wanted to ask you to move in” He is left reeling and Kassandra makes a pleased sound and starts to preen at Enola who laughs breathlessly.

“Ohhh yes I missed that magnificent one” The compliment hits both of them.

“Im- im going to call him”

It's awkward, obviously, but Peter does sigh and admits that yes, he did buy an apartment.

“If you want you can stay, it's in your name anyways” Amused and very confused he replies.

“I already have one, besides if i recall i am a two faced snake, what happened to that?” He is dry in his tone, it did hurt him after all. He can practically hear the discomfort form the man on the phone.

“Well, it's been months and honestly? It's not… as lonely without you to be fair” Ah yes that.

“Mm, I see, well thanks but i will have to decli-” Kass is currently trying to bite him to get him to stop talking.

“Kassandra ssto- stop that- what are yo-”

“Elias?” She hits him hard with her wing, making him let out a yell and drop the phone. She takes the moment to move it and for the first time in almost 30 years speak in front of him.

“We would love to live with you and Enola Peter, Elias is just being stubborn” He gapes and Enola who was looking at this starts to shake her giant wings in excitement.

“Kaaaasss” The albatross starts to immediately touch the swan as much as she can, even using her wings to wrap herself around her.

He has to sit, he feels something lodged in his chest, he can hear Peter make a noise of surprise. With shaky fingers he picks up the phone and says carefully that he would think about it.

“Thats- thats alright” Peter sounds just as winded as him. He wonders if he regrets it now.

He ends up moving, the place is closer to the institute, which pleases him and its big and has a very antique yet new look that fits his taste. He looks at Peter who shrugs with his cheeks on fire and he turns around to smile.

Kass and Enola had no shame whatsoever and are just practically on top of each other slowly touching their faces.

The range between Peter and Enola is big, the daemon when Peter is at land stays in his office with Kass. He asks once about how come they are so…. close and if the distance is because of forsaken. The man and daemon laugh conspiratorially.

“Why would I cut her off? we are the same person after all, its still just me after all so we can still be technically alone”

“Yes! Its very stupid to cut us apart. The family wouldn't just do that, it would be pointless” She tuts at him and snorts, before going back to preen at Kass. Elias gets a shiver.

“As for the distance… well that is sort of a family thing, so im afraid im not going to tell you” He smirks at him and plays his hand.

He won.

Putting his cards down he sighs.

“My lovely siren is going to be good tonight then huh?” He would love to say something about it, but as it stands he knows that he will have fun, its why he let himself lose anyways.

“It seems like I will” Kass snorts and he gives her a look.

So it becomes a routine.

They leave, he and Kass stay and work, he sometimes calls Peter to see how he is and gets presents sent to him. Then they come back and he and the man play their games, while their daemons act like two love fools.

It bothers the two of them, Peter scolds Enola about it, but she says that its easier to be lonely when she misses Kass. 

Elias knows that it also means the man feels in a way the same about him and it causes him to grin, oh to have the Lukas on the palm of his hand.

He on the other hand scolds Kass since Elias knows that this that they have is only temporary. Eventually one of them would sell the other for their own gain. The two of them are too stubborn and sure about their gods to let it go.

It's why he likes the man, Peter is reliable in a way that is predictable, that is safe even. So he lets it pass and keeps their games, that Kassandra acts so… chummy with Enola doesn't sit well with him at all.

But she won't listen of course. She is after all the most stubborn part of him there is.

At one point his true identity comes to light, he figured it would be… better to have the man know in case of emergency or to help with any future endeavours so he confesses to his identity as Jonah Magnus.

Peter takes it… relatively well, all things considered, even the eye gouging thing just mildly puts him off, no, what really makes him look at him baffled is Kassandra.

“How does she change?” She looks at Peter and sighs.

“He takes over the body and life of the person, so i adjust to take the shape of their soul, its… we aren't sure how it truly works, only that i change like he does” Enola who was sitting close to Peter looks at her more focused.

“What was your original shape?” Elias blinks, but figures that neither man or daemon must have paid attention to the paintings in the institute. He pinches the bridge of his nose, but replies for her.

“A fox, its in all the paintings of Jonah Magnus” Enola ignores that part.

“Is that why you never try to fly? Because you weren't supposed to be a bird?” He feels something like shame flood him and he clenches his jaw in response. Its still something of a sore spot. Kass nods and the albatross sighs.

“I see” And that is it.

Peter is… well he acts like usual, but Enola is less touchy with Kass. He can feel her sadness and it sets something in him on edge. Because Enola is far more honest than Peter and if she acts like that to the revelation maybe the man is also having his own reservations. 

It ends as always with another fight, that causes the sailor and his soul to leave for a few months to cool off. Even if he feels uncomfortable about it, perhaps it would have been best to not say anything. The more time with radio silence there is the more he thinks so.

“We shouldn't have said anything, now they must despise us” He sighs and rubs his eyes in tirednes.

“Hardly think they hate us, its just that… maybe it was too much?” She hesitates and softly rubs her face against his hand. It has been so long since the last time she did, it really threw him off for a loop.

He got the distinct feeling of home, of late nights spent together talking and having fun investigating.

Swallowing a little he pets her and sighs.

“Let's go watch something hm?” She nods and they end up on the couch watching tv in quiet companionship. It won't be like before, he knows, but it's better than it has been in a long while.

  
  


They come back eventually, Elias and Kassandra arrive home and they can smell food and see Peter laying on the couch asleep, Enola likewise its on the nest asleep and it seems to have a few more pillows added to it.

Elias hesitates, but goes to change and once he is in a more comfortable outfit he stands next to the sleeping mand and shakes him to wake him up. It takes him a few seconds to react and he scrunches his face looking at him.

“Hello Elias” He crosses his arms.

Peter stares.

“Hello Peter” The taller man sighs and after a few seconds grabs him by the waist and pulls him down making him yelp. Once he is lying on top of his chest he tries to yell at him, but its beaten to the punch and gets kissed instead. Oh he missed this, he missed it a lot. Eventually he relaxes and they end up making out for a while. Peter chuckles and he pouts indignated.

“Insufrible bastard”

“Old evil man” He sneers.

“Is that a problem ?” Peter makes a non committed noise.

“It was.. a lot, but i talked with Simon, or well-” He pulls a face “More like he talked to me and its not as bad as i thought” He stares at him deeply.

“You better not repeat any of this understood? Or I'm changing the locks'' Peter nods and Elias after a few seconds goes and kisses him again, this time much more needier. If the man grabbed him tighter and they ended up being a little more… gentle during the night it was merely a one time thing.

Enola and Kassandra seemed to have their own conversation, because by the time he turned to look at them, they were likewise preoccupied.

  
  


So things go back to usual. 

Well.

Almost.

It's two years later when Peter gives him a ring and asks if he wants to marry him.

Legally its not yet possibly, but-

But he says yes.

Surprising himself even, their sort of partnership could continue as it was, but somehow it felt right to proceed like this.

If his hands were sweating and his heart beated faster it was no one's business but his own. If he got a loop of happiness with Kassandra who was just as thrilled then well, It was their own little secret.

So he kept the ring and in the privacy of his own mind did not mind calling Peter his husband. It was a delightful feeling, albeit he would never admit it.

They did fight, because they were opposing forces of course, when it got ugly, as it happens, Peter had the idea to put a printed spreadsheet on the fridge where they could “divorce” by signing it.

Just as they wrote again if they “married”

It was a game after all, like most of the things they did, they both left some steam out and eventually the marriage would be there again to make things up. Elias always got a new ring and Peter would in fact keep his in a necklace, like the sap that he was.

Because he was a sap and he lov-

He almost cuts himself while cooking.

Elias does not love Peter.

He doesn't, this is fun, just complete fun to pass the time, or hell maybe he does, but it's unimportant. It won't change how things will play out in the end.

Yes that's perfect.

Kassandra hits him with her wings and goes to the living room.

“You know as well as i do that it wont change a thing, my feelings have never changed”

“... I know, that's why you let Barnabas get eaten and why you let Mordechai go, you care, but not enough to help. You just can't” He narrows his eyes at her.

“You did nothing as well, if I recall” The swan puffs her feathers.

“I told you what i thought, yet i was ignored, do not patronize me Jonah, it does not serve you well, i'm the only one you cannot lie to” Annoyed and with his pride wounded he goes back to cook.

He feels a pit of anger and resentment.

Whatever.

Kassandra goes back to remain silent at him.

It still stings.

Peter’s ritual fails because of Gertrude and the man was gone.

Not dead, no, but hiding to get his pride back in place. He reckons that he won't see him for a long, long time. Most likely blaming him for the situation.

Elias drinks at home and pretends it doesn't bother him, just like there is not a constant chill now in the house. Kassandra looks disheveled, unlike him. the physical demonstration of his feelings that he doesn't want to see. In fact he has tried his best to ignore her presence all together, has come to the conclusion that it's better if he just pretends she is not there at all.

A useless reminder of a humanity he wishes to leave behind. That has clung to him, for far to long. So he ignores her and likewise she does the same.

She deserves the solitud, if only she was a little less emotional and agreed with him this wouldn't be a problem.

The subsequent anger and annoyance will follow him for the next couple of years that he does not see his husband.

The rejection stings worse than anything, but eventually, eventually it goes away on his part, or he numbs it down. Suddenly it's not so hard, suddenly his feelings for Peter start to slowly go away, or well, not go away, but they stop being so…. there.

Its easier to focus on work and to try and follow what his archivist is doing, to focus on his beloved institute and to start to slowly piece out the problem with the rituals.

If Gertrude is useful for something it's to stop them, yet it also lets him see a pattern, her assistant, the spider one, gives him the beginning of an idea that could potentially work later.

So he is busy.

He is so busy that when he eventually comes back home and there is Peter sitting down watching tv in his most comfortable outfit, he completely ignores him.

Does it the entire time the man stays there.

Kassandra latches to Enola who looks haggard and impossibly tired, she doesn't speak like usual, looking far more subdued. His daemon nudges her and the albatross shivers before lifting a wing and covering the swan, who starts to slowly preen at her.

Elias watches with a clinical eye the entire thing, but refrains from commenting, its not really his problem anymore.

Peter remains quiet too and at night they both sleep giving each other their back.

At work, Enola comes through the window and stays with Kassandra in their little space quietly speaking to each other and constantly touching.

Elias doesn't spare them a glance.

This lasts for an entire week, where he and Peter just existed with each other in the same space.

Something had to break.

In the end it's the other who cracks first, they were technically divorced so Elias was theoretically free to do whatever he wanted.

That's what he does.

Kassandra fights him all the way for this idea, does not in fact let the other daemon touch her while he is busy. By the time he comes back on Sunday morning after being out the previous night, Peter looks sour and Enola goes to immediately check on Kass who rejects her.

The albatross looks deflated, Peter goes to him and for a moment he has the impression that he might actually punch him, because for the first time the man actually looks furious.

However it passes and soon he grabs him by the shirt and smashes their mouths together. Elias punches his chest a couple of times, but eventually he gives up and puts his arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. Peter lifts his legs and he wraps them around his waist so the bigger man can take them to their room.

It felt far more real and better than whatever little fling he had.

When it's over and he is completely tangled up with the man in bed, he hears him sigh.

Elias, still in denial, but also knowing that this is a losing battle kisses his collarbone and after a while speaks again.

“I won't apologize”

“... Neither will i” He nods, but presses himself closer.

“I did not expect you to. So as a token… Peter, will you marry me? I reckon i should buy a pair of rings to make it fair” He feels the other chest move and he realizes it's a quiet chuckle.

“Im very angry at you still, but- Yes, i will and you should”

“We divorced and you left for two years…. i reckon that i was within my rights to-” Peter clutches his back harder.

“Yes, well. I thought it wouldn't matter too”

“...but?” Elias doesn't need to use beholding to know.

“But it did matter and it did bother me”

“... i see. If it makes you feel any better, that was the only time i… during the time you were gone i mean. Also Kass wouldn't let the other daemon touch her”

It's quiet for a while, enough that he sort of dozes, Peter is warm unlike him. Ironic honestly considering his allegiances.

“It does make me feel better” He can't see his face, but Elias sighs and kisses his jaw.

“Sleep”

“Its almost lunch time” He hears his amused tone.

“We can eat later. I'm tired, you are warm and here, better make it count” This time the chuckle is loud.

“Demanding little one” A kiss to his forehead and Elias melts. 

He wont forget the coldness or this entire affair, but he decides that he might as well enjoy it while it lasts. After all, there is a high chance that Peter will be just.. gone eventually. 

Gertrude and Ignis die in the tunnels.

It was by far a very close call, Kassandra was just as nervous as him.

It took three shots to bring that woman down, let alone the panther that was her soul.

Ignis almost kills Kass and for the first time in years Jonah had been terrified, a single bite to the swan’s neck, a paw pressed too tight to her and it would had been it. He would have dropped like a puppet with his strings cut.

It reminded him of how much of a liability having your soul bared was.

He hears the bird make an anguished noise that he tunes out, his hands shaky with adrenalin of avoiding his death.

Despite daemons not touching people, Ignis did not seem to care and actually tried to rip his throat out. Sitting on the floor of his office trying to not have a panic attack, which he is failing miserably, proves to be a little bit too difficult.

So with trembling fingers he grabs his phone and calls his now legally married husband.

It takes him three attempts before Peter picks up and starts to complain.

His voice was soothing, it took him a while to pick on the fact that he wasn't saying anything.

“Elias?” He shudders and Kassandra lets out another cry.

“Kass-” He hears Enola call out from further away.

“Sorry- i just need-” His voice sort of breaks. The jaws of Ignis got too close to him, Kassandra's leg was perhaps broken and he felt the phantom pain in his own body.

“... I just-”

“I'm around Italy, we picked a young man who probably won't last the next trip-” Peter starts talking and he keeps going, he talks about nothing at all, but he can focus on it at the very least.

It lasts for what he thinks is another hour until he doesnt feel so terrified anymore, the End was something that always froze him in terror. So he eventually cuts him off.

“Thanks Peter” The man lets out a breath.

“What was all about?” Kass moves closer and he inspects her leg.

Not broken by a miracle, but hurt nonetheless.

“I will need a new archivist it seems”

“.... Is she-?”

“Yeah… she and her daemon got a little too close and- well, she won't be a problem anymore”

“.. Are you hurt?” It touches him that he asks, Peter is simple at heart and he finds the moments where he is oddly human the most interesting to see. Still they both have a reputation.

“No, Kass hurt her leg, but it's ok… Still my my, didn't know you cared Mr Lukas, getting soft in your years?” Peter groans and denies it, the familiarity of it is enough to erase any remaining fear.

“Well, i will need to do some damage control now, so if you excuse me…” Peter snorts and Elias smiles, Kass stares at him and with a sigh he puts the phone closer to her.

“Thanks for the help Peter, we appreciate it, it was very lovely of you, tell Enola that I'm fine, I know she is fretting. Elias is truly fine too so no need to be nervous” It strikes him how awfully blunt she can be, when he always tries not to. Still as a special occasion…

“Love you Peter” He hears him make a grumbling sound, but with a whisper he mumbles back.

“You too”

Elias smiles.

The dawn of a new era begins.

  
  


Enola was nesting with Kassandra which only meant that Peter was at the apartment. 

Unlike Peter she always could find his office in one go, then again he does leave the window open in case Kassandra wants to fly a little, albeit she never does in his presence. The bird finally accepted the Albatross help and had been practicing when he was busy. 

He hears Enola laugh and knows that they are talking, his daemon just won't speak directly to him anymore, she only communicates with Enola and Peter, that led to a few fights that ended up with them splitting up and him being alone at the apartment with the swan avoiding him like the plague.

Working, he elects to ignore the giggling birds. Enola of course found amusement in his predicament and liked to poke fun at him about his lack of communication with Kass. It annoyed him that Peter’s soul was nagging at him for being alone.

At least she was more concerned with touching her partner, even if his own connection to her was rather stilted, he could feed flashes of affection that made him hold his pen tighter.

Elias was not jealous of his own soul, he wasn't-

Instead of focusing on that he decided to check on his archivist, Jon and Athena were reading a statement while his assistants were looking for more clues for the unknowing.

It was rather dull honestly.

Still it will be worth it once he gets marked and he gets closer to his goal.

From the side he can see Kass twitch and Enola start to flutter around her worriedly. He grins.

The small victories he gets over her make him feel better.

Someone would point out that he is technically fighting himself, but he would like to deny it, at this point he and Kassandra couldn't be more different, so it was almost like fighting a stranger in a way.

He doesn't like to admit how he gets her feelings and how she gets his still. How he misses her and they way they used to be.

Its not important anymore.

By the time the day is done, after dodging Melanie’s and Casey’s attempts against his life, he is ready to go home and crash. After Enola rubs her beak with Kassandra one last time, she takes flight and leaves through the window, his other half stares at him and starts to follow to go back home.

“You could go with her” She doesn't reply, but he feels like he is being scolded.

It's a quiet affair, Rosie gives him a practiced smile and he sees her meerkat daemon hide once he passes next to her. Then they go.

By the time he reaches the apartment he wants nothing more than to change into something more comfortable, eat, and use Peter as a giant pillow. It's one of the activities they enjoy with each other the most. They can both enjoy the contact and his husband can feel lonely by being treated as a glorified object. It's perfect.

It's also not only because he likes the warmth the man gives and the silence that he brings even to his head while they lie together, oh no. It's not his fault that he gets cold easily either.

The moment the door opens Kassandra goes in first and plops herself next to Enola who was resting near his human apparently both asleep.

Shaking his head he quietly places his coat and shoes in the entrance. At least Peter remembered to not leave any muddy footprints this time.

By the time he is wearing his comfiest outfit, consisting of a pair of shorts and one of his husband's sweaters that still has a lingering smell. He is going to make sure he wears them again so he can steal them later. Elias goes and climbs on top of him before just laying there and closing his eyes hearing his heartbeat. Staying like that he slowly relaxes until he dozes off a little.

He wakes up later feeling someone sneaking his hand on his back under the sweater and drawing shapes making him shiver and let out a sigh.

Peter kisses his head and Elias asks for dinner.

“Still early I will make something for you later my hungry siren… albeit if you want something else to satiate you….” He considers it, but now he feels more lazy than horny so he shakes his head.

“Maybe later, i'm tired”

“Poor thing, is running around causing people to have nervous breakdowns too much for you these days?” Elias actually snorts at that and he feels the other laugh quietly.

“Oh if only, two weeks ago Ms King had a performance review”

“What did she do?”

“Poison a perfectly good cup of coffee” Peter, now that he lifts his face, grins at him and makes an exaggerated motion, before tenderly grabbing his jaw and caressing his cheek, making him nuzzle his hand.

“What a horrible affair, ruining your coffee” Elias lips twitch upwards and he tries to stop himself from smiling too hard at the antics of the man. 

“Yes! Was she the angry one that came by today? Honestly i'm surprised you haven't gotten rid of her” Rolling his eyes fondly he looks at Enola.

“I have plans for her, that require her survival for a little bit longer” She makes a humming noise and shakes her wings a little.

“Still careful, she seems to be taking the bloody one into her life, no idea if she wouldn't just go directly for the jugular next” Snorting, he let’s Peter keep drawing shapes on his back while he answers. 

“Im touched you worry about my continued existence Enola” Peter shivers beneath him.

“Not yours, but if you croak, Kass will die and it would be dreadful” Said daemon hits Enola with her own wing and pinches her with her beak.

“Sorry my lovely one” The insistence of both man and bird on calling them nicknames is both amusing and annoying when sometimes Peter picks the awful ones for him.

Still he feels something warm at it, that he knows its not coming from him, but at the same time it is.

He sighs and puts his face in the crook of Peter’s neck who makes a noise that he can't really identify. The man stops touching his back for a few seconds, but slowly starts again with a little more force, it relaxes his muscles and he lets out a few breaths. He hears Kassandra also making some sort of noise of pleasure and he figures that Enola must be preening her. She always does it when the other man feels particularly sappy and acts all lovely with him.

It never lasts for long, both of them end up fighting soon enough, but its nice while it lasts and he gets that loop of happiness from Kass that he is sure she gets back too.

Peter and Enola are taking care of the institute while he and Kassandra stay in prison, a very nice one paid by his husband, but still prison. His highlight comes from Basira and her owl daemon who visit and ask for clues that he knows will lead nowhere. 

Kassandra is seething, has been since he went with the whole ordeal of being sent here.

The dogs' daemons from the police officers growl at her and the few times that they cross paths with other inmates even if briefly their own much bigger ones tend to mock her or call her princess. It pisses him off a great deal and he can feel it bothers her immensely, but there is nothing to be done about it. Well if some people get their worst experiences shoved into their heads during the night that is their own business.

Still the bird is miserable and he tries to talk with ther, even if it is to pass the time, even if he knows she won't respond. It's sort of nice to have someone hear his monologues. She used to speak back at him and they would talk for hours upon hours. Barnabas claimed they were the most endearing pair since they would move around each other and finish each other's sentences.

Oh how things change.

Peter visits, not much, but he always gets more stuff for him, at this rate his cell is a glorified apartment with how well equipped it is. The things that money and power can buy.

Whenever he comes Kassandra would immediately unfurl and touch Enola who would start to rapidly ask questions, in the meantime Peter and him would stare at each other and talk about the institute, their bet, Jon and Martin. It was all very professional. They were after all not married at the moment.

Their last fight had been rather vicious and Peter had asked for the divorce, which stung greatly. Neither of their daemons were particularly happy about the fight, before he left in a puff of fog Enola had been trying to drag the taller man by his clothes back, but he wouldn’t relent and she eventually followed to the lonely.

Kassandra started to wreck the apartment to spite him.

The memory leaves a sour note in him, but he decides to not think about it too much, if his plan works there won't be a Peter to make him feel miserable again, likewise if the man won… Well, he won't, but he reckons that he will get his beloved loneliness.

He frowns and tells him to keep the good work.

Peter sort of gives him a look and fiddles with his sleeves, Elias is tired of the constant battle between them. He knows neither will win, he knows that Peter would be much happier with him gone.

Both too stubborn to let each other get on the way to their goals.

When they are done, Kassandra actually tries to follow Enola. He actually has to touch her to stop her.

He hasn't touched her in a long time.

Kass bites his hand making him let out a curse, it actually stops both Peter and the albatross in their place.

“Elia-”

“Out”

“Hey don't be so ru-”

“OUT!” He is furious at them, at his stupid soul, at everything in fact.

Peter steps forward to do…. who knows what, but eventually and like always he steps back and lets the fog take him away. Enola looks at his human in disappointment and reaches for Kass before leaving too.

“I'm done with you being so bloody pigheaded, they are never going to stay for you or me, just like I'm never going to stop for him. You better stick it in your head that we will win and to stop being so- so pathetic around them” She shakes her wings and goes to try and bite him again, at which point-

He kicks her.

An action in futility.

“I hate you” She says nothing.

Of course.

If he feels colder it's because the heating in this place was awful, not for anything else.

  
  


The time comes and they are in the panopticon, Martin and Peter are in the lonely, Jon, Athena and an incapacitated Nemo are coming here to save the assistant. Jonah is ever so close to his victory.

When the man, his cat, and Martin’s dog daemon arrive he tells Jon what he needs to get the other man back from forsaken. He is so very close to his goal and with Peter being so stubborn about losing, he can already see how things will end up for him.

Everything is lining up.

Jon is holding Nemo and Elias doesn't comment but he feels an itch. For all their years together he has never touched Enola, just like Peter has never touched Kassandra. Both too guarded to let the other fully grasp their feelings. 

The man goes and he is alone.

Well… not quite.

He was about to leave to prepare for the rest of his plan when a voice he hasn't heard in a long while speaks behind him.

“He will kill them” Slowly he turns, Kass- no Eris stares back at him with a steely gaze.

“... Most likely, but it will be their own hubris, Peter was always too stubborn” She puffs her feather nervously.

“We can stop it” He narrows his gaze.

“Years you have refused to say a word to me and now this? You talk because you want to save Enola. We will be gods we don't need them just like they never needed us-” Eris opens and closes her wings.

“Lies and you know it. Yes, i'm tired of going along with this, you arent my human anymore, haven't been for a long while now, i'm the last human part that Jonah Magnus had, the last part of your shriveled heart. I love them. If i had any hope for you i would say you love them as well, but i don't. Not anymore. I kept most of what you feel, because you keep rejecting it!! Because you don't want it and it's maddening” It strikes a part of him that he didn't even realize that could hurt, because that is his soul telling him this and not some random person, because she gave up on _him,_ but he had done the same to her, so it must be fair somehow. It doesn't take away the edge of hurt that he got, still he soldiers on, because he hasn't gotten this far to fail.

“This is where you draw the line? Not the people we killed, but for Peter and Enola really?” She sighs.

“I will admit that after all this time I hold no care for most humans, those you steal their lives? They tend to be unimportant and sometimes nasty. I don't like changing like this, I never did. It never fitted, but you changed and so did i. I like the power just as you do, its.. exhilarating, but it's tiring as well, I hold no love or care for the rest of the people in the institute, they are all quite honestly replaceable. Peter and Enola aren't” Elias steps closer to her.

“The fact that there are Lukas everywhere begs to differ. They aren't any better than-”

“Shut up, stop lying to yourself for once! I know that you do not think that, never had, I miss Enola, but you miss Peter just as much, I can feel it. Only it makes you angry how much you do, because you don't want him to have any hold over you! As if you didn't have a hold on him either. You are both the most exasperating man on this planet! Enola and I should not have to deal with this” He doesn't want to hear it, he doesn't-

_ Elias misses Peter when he is gone, he loves when he gets him stuff that reminded of him, loves waking up tangled up in the mornings to him and feel the warmth of his prese- _

The sudden hit of feelings are not his own.

Or they are, he just doesn't like to have them.

“I know. So please just this once, move, do something instead of watching” She touches his hand and it feels… It feels like home. Like afternoons spend talking about the supernatural, like waking up to the smell of coffee and homemade breakfast, like sweaters that smell like the sea- 

He twitches in place and his breathing is hard while he feels his eyes water.

“Please…” 

“I-” He can't, she must realize, because she lets the most mournful sound he has ever heard. He thought that she couldn't make it any worse than the time Barnabas died, but she proved him wrong.

“Then you leave me no choice. Goodbye Jonah” He looks confused at her until she actually moves and flies, then she goes to the point where-

No.

“NO!”

Eris flies to the lonely and he falls to the ground, the feeling like a rubber band being stretched more and more hits him, he can't move or breath properly.

His soul abandoned him.

Jonah is honestly to god alone.

  
  


She cant see, well, she can, her own gift of sigh lets her navigate rather well the lonely, but its the stretching that is leaving her wobbly and unsure, if she goes much further away they will get cut off. She has no idea if she would be able to survive it.

Jonah would, he would live soulless and treat it as an experiment.

It stings and it hurts, and even if she feels like she imagines it, she feels the phantom pain of hurt and betrayal. Not the moment to dwell.

She wasn't meant for flight, more often than not she misses her four legs and to threaten people with her claws and teeth, but other days she can appreciate the freedom. It also lets her relate to Enola better, nesting together while their humans cuddle when they have a particular good mood, It's such a nice and good feeling. She wants more.

Eris wants Enola, she wants Peter too, wants him to stay with Jonah, because she knows that is what the man wants. She also knows that Enola wishes to stay with her and Jonah sometimes. That the coldness of the Tundra and the forsaken eating parts of Peter away, hurts so much that the feeling of her resting against her is the only thing keeping her and Peter away from being scooped out of any emotion that is not apathy.

So she looks for them, they are all each other's anchors, their last pieces of humanity tied up all together, but slipping away by the seams anyways.

There-

THERE!

The feeling of beholding is strong, Jonathan is trying to rip out from Peter the answer to Jonah’s plan but the man is too stubborn and loyal for his own good, if he doesn't speak he will die and take Enola with him. Take her last connection to someone.

Enola is like the man, unable to move, pinned down by Athena’s glare and power.

Nemo is struggling to move, Martin must be close, but forsaken is trying to sever their link, just like it's severing the frail lines she has left of hers with Jonah.

The pain is immense.

Still she has something to do. 

She dives down and with all her strength slams against Athena and starts to bite her and hit her with her wings as much and as hard as possible. It knocks Jonathan out of his focus and lets Peter breath out in relief. 

The cat yells and starts to bite and scratch her in return, it hurts a lot, and she wishes she was a fox again so she could just break her neck in one swift bite, but alas its not an option any more, so she uses her comparable size to keep hitting at her with her wings, it gives her time to yell a simple.

“GET OUT!” Oh she is vicious, this shape has limitations, but she is furious, has all her rage stored and waiting to be let out, so despite the scratches and bites from the cat she doesnt stop.

Even when she feels the thin band keeping it together with Jonah fray, even when dust seeps from her wounds, she keeps going. It's been so long since she let the worst of her out.

Something is about to snap and she is not sure what.

“Kass-!” She has enough time to hear Enola yell, but not to react on time.

Something slams against her knocking her out from Athena. When she manages to get her bearings she feels a spike of pain that actually makes her fall to the ground. Nemo just bit her and the cord snaps.

She is too far away.

Panic replaces the pain, because she can’t feel Jonah.

Eris knew it was a chance, but she still believed-

She can't move, only let out a pitiful sound of pain. She can see Jon lying on the sand choking. The dog, wobbly as he still is weak growls and goes to her.

At the very least she thinks through the pain, that Jonah would live, since the connection severed if she dies he won't. He will be empty and she doesn't know if it's better or worse that she won't see it.

Her eyes close and she lets out a sad sound before Nemo bites her neck, however the dog yells and she feels something pick her up. Peter is holding her as if she were a mix between a bomb and the most precious thing in the world and its-

_ Love- she loves this man- he loves this man who is simple yet complicated and insufferable- _

_ Who leaves him/her but always comes back to them, who speaks with her when Jonah is busy and cracks a joke that makes her laugh- _

_ Who lets him get away with most things including stealing his sweaters because they smell like him- _

_ Who turns his eyes the other way round when she and Enola are being sweet to each other- _

Peter holds her closer, but she can see him breath hard and his eyes fill with tears, forsaken is reatreating fast. Its too much.

_ Loves the rings and the weddings _

_ Loves playing their little love game- _

He falls to his knees once they are out, Enola is yelling at them both, but he keeps cradling her against his chest while touching her with his hands.

_ Loves the way he would touch him, how he kisses him, the feeling of Peter inside him- Elias loves him and hates that he does, because he wants him to stay but knows he wont- because he won't ask him to, since Peter would never do the same. _

_ Eris loves Enola, loves nesting with her, loves playfully touching her while they are busy and let a bunch of golden dust around that Elias always complains about cleaning and she thinks amusedly that he complains the same way about the dirty sheets. _

_ And oh how they both think about the man and daemon on their off time, how much they want to- _

Peter lowers her to the ground and takes off his coat before wrapping her in it. Then he picks her up again. He is sweating and looks way too flustered, Enola is walking funny and she knows she spilled too much, but she is alone now and she cant help it.

She touches Peter’s neck with her face and-

_ Its gone, it's all gone its leaving she is alone she doesn't have Jonah- Eris is alone and so is the man they are cut off- nothing matters Peter should have let Nemo kill her or throw her in the lonely the world is getting grayer for her- _

_ Why would she love- _

“Stop, stop it, it will be ok, we just need to take you to him. it will be fine, Kass? Eris, cmon where is- where is Elias?”

“Kass? Kass it will be ok- cmon lets go, where is Jonah?” She doesn't know.

“I don't know we arent- i'm not- i can't- please i cant-” She cries, Enola tries to reach her, but its Peter who kisses the top of her head, making something flutter inside her.

“Its ok, you two will be fine, trust me, let's go find my wayward husband, it will be fine i promise”

She can't bring herself to believe him.

  
  


Jonah managed to drag himself away, despite the pain of the bond severing.

Because that must be it, he felt such a pure hot searing pain go through him and suddenly-

Suddenly nothing.

He can't see Eris. He can't feel her-

Hecanthecanthecant

Shaking his head and struggling to stand he moves, but it feels mechanically, like he is a puppet whose strings got cut off, the world is just a mass of disappointing grey. Peter is away with his soul, he-

Elias can't care.

….

He can't care, he-

Why can't he care?

It stops him on his tracks, because he can't bring himself to care about his missing soul, about Jon or his plans or  _ anything- _

Jonah doesn't care, he just wants….

Wants to rest for a while. Yes that sounds good, he wants to get on a real bed and sleep.

So he goes to the apartment.

A part of his brain is careful enough to remember to hide and not be seen, since people will look for him. So he does, but it feels like he is floating, his mind cant latch onto anything.

His senses are struggling and he is overcompensating with beholding, because he feels as if he got tilted sideways and his balance is off.

Its almost as if he was drunk, but way, way worse.

He manages to reach the apartment and find the hidden key he keeps in case of emergency to get in. Once there he closes the door and almost face plants to the floor, with what little energy he has left, he goes to his room and pulls off the stupid prison garb, with shaky hands he puts on a shirt and one of Peter’s sweaters.

It still smells like the sea and the other man’s cologne, but he can't get any comfort out of it.

He can't feel anything but numb.

Once he is done he climbs to the bed and tries to keep himself warm. Because he feels like he got thrown onto icy waters and he is drowning.

Eventually he falls asleep even if he is shaking like a leaf.

He has nothing but nightmares.

Peter is having the worst possible day in his entire life.

Eris is still wrapped around in his coat and she brushes her head with his neck making him get flashes of Elias' feelings and her panic at not being able to feel the man.

It clogs his throat everytime and makes his knees go  _ weak. _ It makes him want to do something irrational, it makes him want to go grab Elias, kiss him and just love him.

Wants to have him underneath him and worship him, he sees Enola shiver and knows that she wants to do the same with Eris.

Its blasphemous, it goes against everything he believes.

Less than an hour ago he was trying to get him killed and now he is doing his best to reunite him with his soul.

Then again, Eris came to save them from the archivist. Peter would have died with Jonah's secret buried in his throat, so at this rate he really doesn't know what else to do or say. Forsaken wont let him use it, which stings and it pisses him off, but it makes sense. What he is doing is very antithetical to his beliefs and he knows it.

“It will be fine Ka- Eris, it will trust us, we know-!” Enola tries her best to make the swan feel better, but she just lets out whimpers and it clutches something in his chest, Enola far better at this than him, lets out a mournful sound.

Peter thinks, unlike what Elias likes to say about him, he thinks that maybe, just maybe they aren't severed.

That perhaps its like with him and Enola, like with the rest of his family. That the bird and her human have mistaken the problem and can't realize what is wrong. After all, forsaken can temporarily blind the eye, so maybe that is also messing with their ability to feel each other.

Peter, like every other Lukas who has managed to get a connection forsaken, goes through the process. They go to the lonely while their daemon waits for them at the house. They walk as far away as possible until the stretch goes lax and they can't feel it.

It's not severing, because when they return the connection is still there.

But it does allow them to be away from each other. It's why Enola can stay with Elias while he is at the apartment, why she can fly over the Tundra much further away from him and still find her way back through the fog.

As it's a family tradition, he did not tell his husband, that belongs only to him, as much as the shorter man loves to pick things from him to keep like a dragon to his hoard.

But he hopes, for the first time in a long long time, that's what is happening here. That Eris accidentally stretched the bond too much, but did not severe it. Because he can't imagine Elias just being a shell of his usual self only going through the motions.

It honestly terrifies him.

If he were dead it would be one thing, but having him be just… a shadow of the man he fell in love with?

That would be much worse.

He walks out of the institute avoiding most people, Rosi tries to reach him, but he must look horrible, because she steps back terrified and he goes. 

“Enola go to the apartment, he can't have gone much further than that” She nods and even if he is very tired he leaned down and let her touch Eris who is motionless.

“Please it will be fine Ka- Eris it will be I swear, I love you ok? Remember that love” She makes a sound of pain.

“Love you too Nola…” Peter gets the feeling of being punched in the chest again and Enola manages to fly off, not before touching him to let him know it will be ok.

They both have to believe it.

He avoids the police who came by because of the hunters and walks with Eris on his arms practically passed out. She is freezing cold and Peter hurries. Eris brushes against him again and it-

_ Want him- Scared of it- gods he loves him- he doesnt love me back, never will its pointless and stupid and it makes him feel bad, because it feeds his stupid god- _

_ She is alone even with him, because he is stubborn and doesn't let himself feel- she loves her Enola and she loves Peter and even if Elias won't she can for the two of them. _

_ If they leave she will be sad for them too, will take what Jonah doesn't want to feel and keep it to herself- _

The perfect loneliness. 

His arms twitch, if he were to drop her in forsaken he would be taken back again by it, Elias would in fact become a shell if he didnt before and Peter would be truly alone, because Enola would never forgive him.

He would have forsaken them all.

He stops walking and stands there breathing hard.

It would be so easy to just do it, he can feel the pull of it.

….

Peter looks to the cloudy grey sky and after counting to ten he starts to walk hugging Eris closer to his chest.

He doesn't think he could live with Enola hating him.

That would be a kind of pain that even he couldn't stand.

“P-ter?”

“...Love you too Eri”

She shudders and blinks at him, making him give her a grim smile.

They keep going and finally they reach the door, he struggles to find his keys but he manages to open it.

“Feel any better?” He can feel Enola in the apartment somewhere.

“Mno” Ok.

“Thats.. thats ok, don't worry. Enola?!”

“In the room, Peter… “ She sounds worried, and a spark of panic hits him beforehand.

In their bed he sees Elias sleeping, but he looks terrible. He is shaking as badly at Eris, his skin looks pale and clammy and when he manages to touch his face it's practically freezing.

He lowers his daemon next to him and he can actually see for the first time the injuries she got from both Nemo and Athena in a better light.

Eris was scratched badly all over, her left wing was looking really bad because of the bite from the dog. His coat was covered in golden dust and Peter was left with a sense of despair, both his and Enola’s who were seeing the other better for the first time too.

“Eri?” She nudges her, but the swan is flopped motionless, she breathes and looks at them with tired eyes, but nothing else.

“Enola…” He gets the realization first and tries to make her see. The albatross however is still in denial.

“Eris..? Hey its ok see? Elias is here, c'mon it will- it will be fine!”

Neither man nor swan moved. Peter is honestly scared of waking him up and seeing a blank stare in his pale eyes. No fire or cleverness, just a blank nothingness.

“Enola, i don't think it will work…” He puts his hand on her and she looks at him.

“It has to! They aren't used to it like we are!- Forsaken must be messing with them still, we know how it is, its different for someone with the eye Peter- you know-” He lets out a breath, sits on the bed and opens his arms.

The giant bird looks at him, the swan and Elias.

She chokes a sob.

“Peter….” He looks elsewhere.

It spurns her on.

“No- NO. Just this once- “ He can already feel the lonely calling back to him, it's enticing and he can't hurt from this there…

“Stop it-” The line between the beach and the room is getting thinner. He could almost hear the waves…

However he gets pulled back with the force of a truck hitting him.

Eris lets her own startles sound and Elias who had been passed out is suddenly jerking awake and letting out a yell, because Enola has suddenly dropped on him and is touching any piece of skin she can with wild abandon.

Peter lurches forward, but he can't move, his body feels like its boiling and the need he has is almost embarrassing. His own body is reacting again to it, like it did when Eris touched him.

But this time it's worse, it's far more personal and he suddenly feels completely  _ seen. _

Like he was being stared down by a pair of vicious eyes, trying to catalogue everything about him. It was a mix between clinical and warm.

Eris moves and makes it worse by also touching him, effectively trapping him on a loop, suddenly its him, Enola, Elias and Eris. It's a swirling mess of feelings and memories that leave him crying. It was too much it was-

_ They love this smug, small bastard- Love Kass and her moods and her fanciness. _

_ Love coming back and waiting to wake up with the man on top of him-  _

_ Love getting home and laying on top of him- _

_ Love getting to spend time together while they are busy- _

_ Hate that they fight- hate that they leave her/him- _

_ Hate the other’s god- _

_ Peter loves and hates Joanh because he makes his life easier and harder at the same time- _

_ Jonah loves and hates Peter because he makes him happy but also takes it away in a whim- _

_ Eris wants them to live- Jonah wants to succeed- he will miss them if they are gone, but he won't let it get in his way- _

_ Enola wants to stay- Peter wants to be alone- he will miss them if they are gone, but he won't let it stop him- _

_ Nights spent tangled in bed, eating food in silence companionship, stealing Elias scarfs and using them while he is away in the Tundra, stealing Peter’s sweaters and using them when he is gone, nicknames that he loves even if he says the oposite, calls every once in a while that remind him he is human, kissing and fucking far more tenderly in their years than they did before- _

_ Anger and jealousy at Elias and Eris being with someone else- _

_ Never again, he has to come back from now on, they cant have that again. _

_ He can't do it again it was not good- She cant let it happen she wants Enola only- _

It keeps going like that for who knows how long.

By the time he more or less finally comes to, in… several senses, Peter finds that he is now grabbing Elias who is likewise breathing hard and looking flushed and wonderfully alive; his eyes are alight with a mix between anger, confusion and if he is being a romantic, love. He grabs his shirt and kisses him with a violent need. Peter albeit very uncoordinated follows along and starts to touch him with wild abandon. 

His skin buzzes and his mind is still trapped in the mix of feelings and right now the only thing he wants is to have him for real. With his heart beating like crazy he bites his lower lip and starts to make out. Soon he lifts his sweater, now he knows why they disappear so much the little minx, and goes to kiss his skin. Elias however with more strength than he appears to have turned him on his back and sits grinding on him.

He looks furiously beautiful, he wants more.

Enola and Eris scurried away apparently.

Peter soon forgets about them when Elias puts his hands on his face and goes to kiss him breathless.

He will not complain about the man being bossy in bed ever again.

Later much later, when they are both laying looking at each other in bed after he finishes with Peter, Elias has a moment to wonder what the hell happened and how is he alright. His ex, who is going to be soon his husband.

Because he is  _ his _

_ Ours,  _ says the amused voice of Eris in his head. That gives him pause. 

Is currently playing with his fingers while smiling sleepily and it should not be as adorable as it looks-

_ It should, they are both adorable, Enola keeps trying to wrap herself around me. _

_ … _

_ Want to see? _

Elias, hesitates but sends an affirmative. Its not like when he uses beholding to see from another person's eyes. This feels more natural in a way.

He can see Enola from a first perspective mumbling sweet things while tending to her hurt side, its sweet and she loves her for it.

Elias blinks and he feels Peter’s hand touch him just as softly as his daemon was.

“Huh” His future husband makes a noise of question.

“Nothing, just… can see from Kass perspective now” He did not mean to say that. The taller man sighs and kisses him softly.

“Likewise with Enola, says we should later check Eris scratches” Elias nods.

….

Beholding has no idea what happened, when he tries to see it just blanks out.

“Peter? How am i not…” The man sighs.

“Maybe we were right and you got separated and not severed, Enola must have been right too and it was Forsaken messing with you two making you think you were” Part of it confuses him.

“... You and her are separated, that's why you can be so far away right?” Peter nods.

“Its-” He yawns and Elias moves closer “A family tradition, it's not severing, albeit there are cases where it has failed and it happens. Not with me and Nola, but some family members… well you met uncle Nathaniel”

He has, it explains a lot.

“So we are like that?”

“Suppose so”

Huh.

Elias decides he is too tired to mull it over now, so instead he lets Peter hold him, the man does it, but in a quiet voice asks.

“What do we do now?” Which is… fair.

Peter fed his archivist, the man is currently not in forsaken good graces via his feelings for him, Elias himself is currently sort of unmoored. He knows what he wants, what he has always wanted.

_ But it will mean being alone _

He grimaces.

Baby steps then.

“Now we sleep, then we eat” Peter stops tracing shapes on his back.

“Elias…”

“Then we figure it out, there has to be a way to put you back on forsaken “good graces” it wont do to let you kick it after all this” He hears him chuckle against him.

“Thought that was your plan?” Closing his eyes and kissing his jaw he nods.

“It was, just like it was yours” Peter kisses the top of his head and nods.

“Yeah”

In the other room both birds nuzzle each other and start to fall asleep.

Things don't change much, but at the same time they sort of do.

It's small and Elias… Elias likes it.

Eris talks with him again, he fixes her up and after he is done he breaks and apologizes, she takes it well but once he is done she starts to weep and say she is sorry too, that she missed him.

After that she starts to speak and finish his sentences excitedly.

He still gets flashes of her thoughts. It's… nice actually.

Peter rests, his archivist did mess him up and he does have nightmares with Jon in them as he angrily tells him. It makes him feel-

Guilty.

What a concept.

So he helps finding victims for him while Peter has to deal with the fiasco of the murders that happened in the institute.

It drains him and Elias tries to make it better just this once, by being a little bit nicer.

He knows that somehow whatever happened when he was messed up and they all sort of mixed up left them all in a weird state, but its also… not so bad, even Peter doesn't complain about it. Claims it will make him more miserable once he goes away.

Elais has no doubt about it. It also makes him extremely amused for some reason instead of mad.

They realize one day by accident that Enola and Eris can stay with the other and not get hurt.

Elias was organizing his idea for Jon and the ritual while Enola stayed with him, Eris said that she would go with Peter since she had been scooped far too long in prison with him.

Which was fair.

Peter called him at one point panicked because he had to actually leave further away than he was capable with Enola but he didnt feel anything.

Elias freaks out, but likewise he doesn't feel any hurt or pain with Eris being gone.

Once they are back they start to ask what the hell happened.

Both birds looked at each other conspiratorially and then at them.

“There is nothing wrong, it just happens, don't overthink it!” Enola sounds chipper while his daemon gives him a cheeky expression, which should be impossible with a bird face, but somehow she manages.

“What did you do?”

“Me? Nothing, what is the problem with it?” Exasperated he gestures.

“You are my soul?? Why can you just leave with Peter or Enola can stay with me-”

“Mmm, have you thought about what a soulmate is?”

That leads to them having a 3 hour conversation where Peter ended up sitting on the couch holding his face and cursing everything out.

“How can i be alone if I'm tied to you???” Eris sighs and pecks him, he gets a jolt, but its not as violent as the other day.

“Dont-” Peter looks at her and his face flushes.

“Don't think too much about it, it only means that you can have a bigger scope and besides wouldn't you miss Enola if she was here instead? Bet you it would feel lonelier…” Peter blinks and snorts before looking at him and raising his hand. Elias after thinking a little nods and he touches Eris softly.

She lets a pleased hum.

He feels warm and has a nice feeling in his gut.

Enola looks expectantly at him.

“Just this once… Because you helped me…. Pretty” She looks at him and lets out a happy sound. 

“No problem handsome” She bloody winks at him and he laughs and pats her. He gets assaulted with how fond Peter is of him wearing his clothes and how cute he looks when he sleeps all curled up.

He blushes, and Peter grins at him cheekily.

“Sap”

“Look who's talking”

Jon has the statement and he goes to the institute to wait, he crosses Rosie on his path. Eris is following him.

He watches Jon start reading it and he sees Athena paralized unable to stop her human.

Soon he thinks, soon he will-

Jon scratches his neck and tries to stop.

Athena trembles.

Eris is shaking next to him in terror.

Almost there-

Jon lifts his hands and-

No-

NO

Elias can't see, because Jonathan Sims has just shoved his fingers in his eyes, effectively blinding him.

He switches to Athena who is now trying to make him stop the gouging, but she is too late.

Elias gets disconnected and he curses for a long while.

Peter is of no help, being smug and also happy that he won't have to see the archivist in his nightmares any more.

“200 years on the making!”

“You already know what you need to make it happen, i'm sure you will craft a new way to start again-”

“Oh yeah, because i can, Jon knows everything, the detective is looking for me and her monstrous partner, Martin will want blood, yes prey tell how can i make it better-”

“Don't forget we are looked by the police” Eris is very nonchalant.

“Oh don't be so smug”

“Well, jump ship as they say and start over, it's not like it isn't an option, or you know hire someone to kill them, loose ends and all that” He pinches the bridge of his nose, he is partially correct, ugh.

“You do know that means I have to leave Elias' body for dead and Eris will change her shape right?” That makes both man and daemon look at him and the swan.

“.... well i suppose it will take some getting used to it, but-”

“As long as you are both still you-”

“It will be fine”

The admittance actually makes him feel touched, also…

“You will use this to mourn me won't you?”

“.... You know me too well” He sighs and smiles.

“You insufferable bastard” He says it with all the fondness he can manage.

“You love me, my lovely siren” Feeling tired and well, wanting to make him pay he replies.

“I do my dear”

Peter flushes and disappears in a cloud of fog.

Better.

Elias will have to start from the ground up again, but…. he feels marginally better about it. Eris touches his hand and follows Peter, it appears she can now do that, Enola looks at him and when he sits she lets herself lean against him.

Things are… different but he thinks he can get used to it.

He is angry, but even so… he knows it's possible, and there is time.

He is also going to enjoy messing with Peter for as long as they live. And considering what Eris said with the whole soulmate thing…. well the man is going to match him now.

He grins and thinks what he can get for dinner before the other comes back from his sulking session.

Peter will leave after he switches and they marry officially again. But he knows he will always come back to them and that he has Eris on his side again.

Things are not so terrible after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Yaays, I wanted to do a Daemon Au for a while.  
> This had to be rewritten a lot, but i like how it ended, plus i love the dynamics a lot.  
> Let them be soft bastards together ok?  
> Comment if you liked it!


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